Faqs

Gardening Q & A with Tanya Visser

Dear Ms Visser, I love your gardening program – thank you so much J Please help !! I have about 8 Wisteria creepers in my garden and they are planted in different areas – some facing North, East, South etc and some in full sun, semi shade etc – and they NEVER flower L One plant bears a few flowers (maybe 5 over a big pergola) but you cannot see them as the new leaves are all out. They are over 10 years old. Around the corner from my house, there is a standard Wisteria which is stunning as there are so many flowers on it and no leaves !! Thank you Bronwyn Roe-Scott

Answer:

Dear Bronwyn

Tanya is so busy at the moment that if I wait for an answer from her to your query Christmas will be here. So I took the liberty of asking one of our local experts and this is what he had to say:“Wisterias originate from E Asia and North America. They require cold winter temperatures, full day sunshine and acidic soil conditions in order to flourish. Many plants in local gardens do not set flower buds due to lack of winter cold and can suffer from a condition called delayed foliation as a result of this. Large plants benefit from a hard pruning in late winter and a further cutting back of vigorous growth stems in summer. Feed with a 3:1:5 slow release nitrogen fertiliser in spring and summer. Keep roots cool by mulching with pine bark or pine needles.”

I am looking for some attractive screening plants (that don’t lose their leaves) for the bottom of my garden to fit in with what exists there already. What I need to mention is that the land has a slight slope leading towards a valley. The area is 30 metres and from left to right this is what I have at present the present moment. Area’s marked in x is vacant for plants:

Young avocado tree

XXXXX

Tall light green tree with small leaves

Fully grown bottle brush

XXXXX

XXXXX

What I also need to mention is that we have a 6 foot concrete foot in place there as well. It will also be good to form an attractive backdrop to our garden.

Answer

I would suggest the following plants to use – Viburnum, Magnolia little gem and Camellia sasanqua.

I make my own compost. In Australia they add blood meal to their compost mixtures or they add it directly to the compost heap. Can we purchase blood meal in South Africa? Can I add bone meal directly to the compost heap? Please explain to us what BLOOD MEAL is and what BONE MEAL is.

Answer

Blood meal is made from byproducts from slaughter houses; an example of a commercial product is Nitrosol which is high in nitrogen. Bone meal is crushed animal bones high in phosphates which is good for root growth.

One or two handfuls of Bone meal is added, you must also add compost activator as this breaks down organic matter quicker. Add Bone meal when planting.

I have two concreted L shaped corner spaces that I want to add a water feature to and I want to add some fish to it as well, can u please advise me how I can go about doing this myself. What do I need to get started and how do I take on a project like this. I enjoy watching the home channel and the wonderful ideas they have. Please help me bring my concrete corner space to life.

Answer

One of the easiest ways to add a water feature is to use Fibreglass. Take a look at www.riverrock.co.za they have some great ideas as well as step by step projects which The Gardener has done for them

I have not been interested in gardening before. Until we bought our new home and the garden of this home is screaming for plants, colour and life. I don’t know where to start since I’ve never been into gardening. Please help with suggestions.

Answer

This is such great news. The best way to start is by checking out our website www.thegardener.co.za and getting hold of our latest magazine The Gardener which is available at most shops. Read and enjoy and I guarantee the ideas will start flowing!

We have just moved into our new home and at the moment we have this major WEED problem, I went and bought the Hormoban APm and used it as stated but nothing has happened since applying the product. And our lawn is quite big (well not too big). I have attached pictures of the weeds for you to see and hopefully you can advise us on how to get rid of these, as I have small children and some of the weeds have those bobble thorns so they cant even play.

Answer

Use Turfweeder, it is a much more effective product. Follow instructions very carefully and apply at least three times to see a marked difference to weeds in the lawn.

Question:Dear TanyaAttached is a photo my violets which I were given to me as a gift. I seem to be loosing them one by one and I don’t know why.

They are all standing on the same table and get the same amount of light and they get water from the bottom. In the picture you can see how healthy the others look, except for the one in the front, which seems to dying off.

Please advise me on what I can do, in order not to loose this one and also none of the others.

I enjoy watching your program on TV and look forward to hearing from you with some advise.

Regards.Annemarie James

Answer:

AnnemarieTanya is so busy this spring that I asked the other local expert to advise on your problem, below is what he had to say:“It is rather difficult to diagnose the problem from the picture. Looks like the plant is rotting off through being too damp. Also appears to get less light than the others behind. Feed them every 4 to 6 weeks with African Violet food. Allow them to dry out between watering and never leave them standing in water for longer than 2 to 3 hours.”

Answer

HI I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT ABOUT MY ORANGE TREE LEMON TREE AND NARTJIE TREE. I PLANTED THEM FROM THE PIPS AND THEY HAVE GROWEN TO ABOUT 30CM HIGH.

WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS WILL THEY GET FRUIT AND HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE BEFORE THEY DO. THEY ARE PLANTED IN SMALL POTS BUT WANT TO PLANT THEM IN

BIGGER POTS AND ALSO WANT TO PUT ONE OF EACH TOGETHER IN ONE POT. DO YOU THINK IT IS OK?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

PAUL HARRIS.

Answer

Growing fruit trees from pips is never a guaranteed way of getting successful fruiting trees. In some cases one needs to wait up to seven years before the first fruit will appear. For this reason one should purchase your fruit trees from garden centres as grafted trees. These trees produce fruit in the first 18 months after planting for the following reasons. The graft part of the tree originates from a mature well selected healthy fruiting specimen which in pain words ‘jump starts’ the tree to a mature age to produce fruit.

However if you would like to continue with your plants that are growing , then go for it! Transplant the small plants into slightly larger pots and continue this until the plants are about 60cm in height. Use a mixture of compost and potting soil in the pots. Feed them regularly with 3.1.5 or rapid raiser.

Some time back on one of your older programs you talked about a plug or pellet. If one drilled a hole into a tree/shrub and hammered in the pellet it would then systemically poison the tree or shrub, without harming the surrounding plants.

Please can you let me know the name of this product and which company manufactures it.

Answer

The product you’re looking for is called ECO plug – but you have to chop the tree down. The other product is called GARLON – this can be applied to a living tree, you simply have to ring back it. All available at garden centres

Dear Ms Visser, I love your gardening program – thank you so much J Please help !! I have about 8 Wisteria creepers in my garden and they are planted in different areas – some facing North, East, South etc and some in full sun, semi shade etc – and they NEVER flower L One plant bears a few flowers (maybe 5 over a big pergola) but you cannot see them as the new leaves are all out. They are over 10 years old. Around the corner from my house, there is a standard Wisteria which is stunning as there are so many flowers on it and no leaves !! Thank you Bronwyn Roe-Scott

Answer:

Dear Bronwyn

Tanya is so busy at the moment that if I wait for an answer from her to your query Christmas will be here. So I took the liberty of asking one of our local experts and this is what he had to say:“Wisterias originate from E Asia and North America. They require cold winter temperatures, full day sunshine and acidic soil conditions in order to flourish. Many plants in local gardens do not set flower buds due to lack of winter cold and can suffer from a condition called delayed foliation as a result of this. Large plants benefit from a hard pruning in late winter and a further cutting back of vigorous growth stems in summer. Feed with a 3:1:5 slow release nitrogen fertiliser in spring and summer. Keep roots cool by mulching with pine bark or pine needles.”

Question:Dear TanyaAttached is a photo my violets which I were given to me as a gift. I seem to be loosing them one by one and I don’t know why.

They are all standing on the same table and get the same amount of light and they get water from the bottom. In the picture you can see how healthy the others look, except for the one in the front, which seems to dying off.

Please advise me on what I can do, in order not to loose this one and also none of the others.

I enjoy watching your program on TV and look forward to hearing from you with some advise.

Regards.Annemarie James

Answer:

AnnemarieTanya is so busy this spring that I asked the other local expert to advise on your problem, below is what he had to say:“It is rather difficult to diagnose the problem from the picture. Looks like the plant is rotting off through being too damp. Also appears to get less light than the others behind. Feed them every 4 to 6 weeks with African Violet food. Allow them to dry out between watering and never leave them standing in water for longer than 2 to 3 hours.”

Good luck.RegardsCindy May

Trees

Elo Tanya… Hope ur well…. Have problem with a beautiful lemon tree…… I hope that you can help me… …….. This tree was planted a year ago…. With winter coming they said I should cover it with a winter cover wich I did….. Now as u can c from the foto all top part is dead…. However new shoots r coming from the bottom and the sides… As it looks like I can’t save the top…. Where should I begin to for something???? Hope u can help.. We had 7 lemons before the winter…. There were a lot of blossoms but the cold came……. Appreciate your help….. Plz keep up your most interesting program….. Thanking you…… Regards.. Niki..

Answer

The lemon trees shoots are coming from the root stock; unfortunately the top part of the tree is dead – which is the important part!

If you cut the top dead part now, it will live but you will no longer get those lovely smooth lemons but the rough skin lemon (which is the root stock)

Personally I would keep the tree and buy another loon and plant it in a much bigger pot this time with a good mixture of compost and potting soil. Next winter try place the pot near the house where it will be more protected from the frost.

Answer

I have a few cherry trees in my garden; they all exhibit the same problem. They flower like crazy, make tons of small cherries and then whilst the cherries are still tiny they start to shrivel and die. I have given them fertiliser but this does not help. Why do the cherries not grow to maturity? It is very frustrating to watch every last cherry on the tree shrivel up.

Answer

Cherries need very very cold winter temperatures to enable fruiting. If they do not live in an area which receives average temp below 6 degrees they will not do.

Hi Tanya, We have just bought a house and need advice please. There is a lot of tree’s in the yard and no grass under them or even around them. We believe that there is tree’s you can’t take out but don’t know how to Identify them even. Can you please give me some advice on what grass to plant under the tree’s we want to keep and when will be the best time to plant it? There is a huge flat top tree that is beautiful and we don’t want to take that one out because it creates a lot of shade. We don’t really know which tree’s we are not allowed to cut down and we have very soft sandy ground.

Answer

I suggest you contact your local Garden Centre namely Halls Garden Centre to advise on Trees. Grass – Use Berea shade, an indigenous grass. Prepare soil well with compost & bonemeal. You can buy the grass in seed form or rolls of instant lawn and plant in spring – August onwards.

The leaves of the clivias are getting brown edges and brown holes in some of them. I have been to the garden centre and they asked me to use KEMPRIN 200 EC . Will this help by spraying the leaves and also how much must I use and how often.

Where can I get rooting hormone in Durban as I will like to propagate a stem from a bourgenvillea as I will like to start my hand on a bonsai.

What soil do I use to start the bonsai?

Your assistance is appreciated.

RegardsIdris hoosen

Answer

Yes Kemprinwill sort out the problem that is if it is an insect causing the damage. I do think that it could be snails as they love Clivias – I would get some snail bait and sprinkle it around the plants.

The brown edges on the leaves can also be cause by wind damage..

Follow the leaflet instructions for the usage of Kemprin – it should be under grasshoppers/scale….

Rooting hormone powder is available at most garden centres or Builders outlets.

I bought some Arum lily bulbs this year and have planted them in large pots. My question to you is why some half a meter tall and some only 5cms tall are. Please can you tell me if I have done something wrong?

They are all in the same size pots. I planted them into new soil/manure and I put some sand in to make the water drain, is this correct?

Please can you tell me how I must water them, our temperature here is 37 – 40 degrees,

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Regards

Bev

Victoria Falls

Zimbabwe

Answer

The temperature could be a huge factor in some growing well and others not. Dependant on the variety some are far more heat tolerant than others. The other factor is that in the pots they will dry out really fast with the extreme temperatures. I suggest that you water every second day but the best method of checking the water requirements of the plant is to simply do the finger test on the soil. The plants that are not growing well I would suggest a good feeding of a liquid fertiliser as per the instructions, such as Nitrosol or Multifeed.

Soil

I am building a concrete trough inside my green house and I need to know should this be lined with that thick black plastic prior to filling it? I have heard that the cement contains additives that may be harmful to the soil.

I intend to first put in a layer of stone, then some river sand and the top layer of organic compost mixed with?

I’m uncertain as I realise I cannot plant into pure organic compost.

Secondly, do you know where I am able to purchase organic seeds?

As you can gather, I am big into organic and any help from you would be greatly appreciated.

Thanking you so much in advance

Answer

I have a compost heap, its still a bit newish, underneath the rubbish there’s nice compost, BUT in the compost are these ugly Molkrieke (in afrikaans) how do I get rid of them in the compost? And what else can I do get a healthy looking compost?

Answer

The worms are not bad, they help decompose the soil.

Use Margaret Roberts’s compost activator to speed up the composting process. In dry weather water the compost at least once a week.

Please can you help or advise on what to do as we live near a river on a slope and have problems with steep banks in front and along side our house.

What can I plant on some of these slopes to avoid corrosion? Any ideas or advice would be most welcome. We are however limited with plant choices and can get simple plants like agapanthus and Sheena’s gold etc…. or are we better off building retaining walls? We have fairly acid soil, heavy rainfall and humid in summer and can be very dry before the onset of rainy season. However we have access to water from the river so watering not a problem.

Best regards

Nicky Wright (Kitwe – Zambia)

Answer

Hi Nicky ,

Yes there are ways of dealing with the banks.

1 Erosion fabric – place the fabric on soil , create holes and plant in them. The fabric works well.

2 Using treated gum poles, either upright buried into the soil to hold the bank, backfill and then plant.

3 The same poles can be used horizontally with thinner poles to hold them in place. Create small pockets with the poles stacked onto of each other.

My beautiful green mint just died overnight. My soil needs help. It is very stony. When do I use kraal manure? How do I use worm compost? My strawberries don’t grow well.

I suppose what I’m asking is, how do I improve my soil. Thank you sincerely Poppy

Answer

Your soil is very sandy and lacks organic content so need loads of compost added. I would also add a water absorbent granule to your soil. The plants you need to use must be wind resistant and water wise. Consider using the following:

Euryops

Carissa

Arctotis

Gazania

Rhapiolepis

These are all stunning plants that I know will do well in your part of the world.

I make my own compost. In Australia they add blood meal to their compost mixtures or they add it directly to the compost heap. Can we purchase blood meal in South Africa? Can I add bone meal directly to the compost heap? Please explain to us what BLOOD MEAL is and what BONE MEAL is.

Answer

Blood meal is made from byproducts from slaughter houses; an example of a commercial product is Nitrosol which is high in nitrogen. Bone meal is crushed animal bones high in phosphates which is good for root growth.

One or two handfuls of Bone meal is added, you must also add compost activator as this breaks down organic matter quicker. Add Bone meal when planting.

Compost

I have a compost heap, its still a bit newish, underneath the rubbish there’s nice compost, BUT in the compost are these ugly Molkrieke (in afrikaans) how do I get rid of them in the compost? And what else can I do get a healthy looking compost?

Answer

The worms are not bad, they help decompose the soil.

Use Margaret Roberts’s compost activator to speed up the composting process. In dry weather water the compost at least once a week.

Please can you help or advise on what to do as we live near a river on a slope and have problems with steep banks in front and along side our house.

What can I plant on some of these slopes to avoid corrosion? Any ideas or advice would be most welcome. We are however limited with plant choices and can get simple plants like agapanthus and Sheena’s gold etc…. or are we better off building retaining walls? We have fairly acid soil, heavy rainfall and humid in summer and can be very dry before the onset of rainy season. However we have access to water from the river so watering not a problem.

Best regards

Nicky Wright (Kitwe – Zambia)

Answer

Hi Nicky ,

Yes there are ways of dealing with the banks.

1 Erosion fabric – place the fabric on soil , create holes and plant in them. The fabric works well.

2 Using treated gum poles, either upright buried into the soil to hold the bank, backfill and then plant.

3 The same poles can be used horizontally with thinner poles to hold them in place. Create small pockets with the poles stacked onto of each other.

My beautiful green mint just died overnight. My soil needs help. It is very stony. When do I use kraal manure? How do I use worm compost? My strawberries don’t grow well.

I suppose what I’m asking is, how do I improve my soil. Thank you sincerely Poppy

Answer

Your soil is very sandy and lacks organic content so need loads of compost added. I would also add a water absorbent granule to your soil. The plants you need to use must be wind resistant and water wise. Consider using the following:

Euryops

Carissa

Arctotis

Gazania

Rhapiolepis

These are all stunning plants that I know will do well in your part of the world.

I make my own compost. In Australia they add blood meal to their compost mixtures or they add it directly to the compost heap. Can we purchase blood meal in South Africa? Can I add bone meal directly to the compost heap? Please explain to us what BLOOD MEAL is and what BONE MEAL is.

Answer

Blood meal is made from byproducts from slaughter houses; an example of a commercial product is Nitrosol which is high in nitrogen. Bone meal is crushed animal bones high in phosphates which is good for root growth.

One or two handfuls of Bone meal is added, you must also add compost activator as this breaks down organic matter quicker. Add Bone meal when planting.

I want to open a nursery in my area specialising with vegetables seedlings and herbs. My problem being that I don’t have any knowledge of them, but I see that there is a need for them in my area. Where can I get the training? And what skill is necessary for me to start the business?

Answer

This is such a wide open question we would love to help- where is it? I can put you in touch with a good mentor.

Does Tanya come out to help with gardening or recommend a gardener for me. I loved the episode where birds were attracted to the garden with relevant plants, plus I extremely love the hydrangia and those bell shaped lilies.

Answer

Unfortunately I cannot due to time constraints but I do work with landscapers in many parts of SA. If you let me know which area you are in I can recommend someone to contact you and assist.

I have two concreted L shaped corner spaces that I want to add a water feature to and I want to add some fish to it as well, can u please advise me how I can go about doing this myself. What do I need to get started and how do I take on a project like this. I enjoy watching the home channel and the wonderful ideas they have. Please help me bring my concrete corner space to life.

Answer

One of the easiest ways to add a water feature is to use Fibreglass. Take a look at www.riverrock.co.za they have some great ideas as well as step by step projects which The Gardener has done for them

Some time back on one of your older programs you talked about a plug or pellet. If one drilled a hole into a tree/shrub and hammered in the pellet it would then systemically poison the tree or shrub, without harming the surrounding plants.

Please can you let me know the name of this product and which company manufactures it.

Answer

The product you’re looking for is called ECO plug – but you have to chop the tree down. The other product is called GARLON – this can be applied to a living tree, you simply have to ring back it. All available at garden centres

I’ve just erected the boundary wall and my opposite neighbour’s yard is sloppy, when it rains water used to come through my yard. Now that there is a wall in between, will be trapped by the wall but will end-up damaging it after it’s painted. It’s still raw blocks with no plaster and paint, I want to treat it first before anything can be done to my wall.

Answer

HI I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT ABOUT MY ORANGE TREE LEMON TREE AND NARTJIE TREE. I PLANTED THEM FROM THE PIPS AND THEY HAVE GROWEN TO ABOUT 30CM HIGH.

WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS WILL THEY GET FRUIT AND HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE BEFORE THEY DO. THEY ARE PLANTED IN SMALL POTS BUT WANT TO PLANT THEM IN

BIGGER POTS AND ALSO WANT TO PUT ONE OF EACH TOGETHER IN ONE POT. DO YOU THINK IT IS OK?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

PAUL HARRIS.

Answer

Growing fruit trees from pips is never a guaranteed way of getting successful fruiting trees. In some cases one needs to wait up to seven years before the first fruit will appear. For this reason one should purchase your fruit trees from garden centres as grafted trees. These trees produce fruit in the first 18 months after planting for the following reasons. The graft part of the tree originates from a mature well selected healthy fruiting specimen which in pain words ‘jump starts’ the tree to a mature age to produce fruit.

However if you would like to continue with your plants that are growing , then go for it! Transplant the small plants into slightly larger pots and continue this until the plants are about 60cm in height. Use a mixture of compost and potting soil in the pots. Feed them regularly with 3.1.5 or rapid raiser.

Some time back on one of your older programs you talked about a plug or pellet. If one drilled a hole into a tree/shrub and hammered in the pellet it would then systemically poison the tree or shrub, without harming the surrounding plants.

Please can you let me know the name of this product and which company manufactures it.

Answer

The product you’re looking for is called ECO plug – but you have to chop the tree down. The other product is called GARLON – this can be applied to a living tree, you simply have to ring back it. All available at garden centres

Plants

I leave JHB south. I have a corner that I do not know what to plant it is about 1.5m X 2.5m. In summer there is full sun but in winter full shade – what do u recommend planting?

Memory Moloele

Answer

Dear Memory

Thank you for your query. It is very hard to do garden plant suggestions remotely as advising what to plant is related to position, location, use of area and adjacent spaces and environment as much as amount of sun and space.

I have asked our local horticulturalist to advise a few plants for your climate and details you provides. Please be patient as we get a lot of queries. I will pass on the information when he sends it through.

I am looking for some attractive screening plants (that don’t lose their leaves) for the bottom of my garden to fit in with what exists there already. What I need to mention is that the land has a slight slope leading towards a valley. The area is 30 metres and from left to right this is what I have at present the present moment. Area’s marked in x is vacant for plants:

Young avocado tree

XXXXX

Tall light green tree with small leaves

Fully grown bottle brush

XXXXX

XXXXX

What I also need to mention is that we have a 6 foot concrete foot in place there as well. It will also be good to form an attractive backdrop to our garden.

Answer

I would suggest the following plants to use – Viburnum, Magnolia little gem and Camellia sasanqua.

The leaves of the clivias are getting brown edges and brown holes in some of them. I have been to the garden centre and they asked me to use KEMPRIN 200 EC . Will this help by spraying the leaves and also how much must I use and how often.

Where can I get rooting hormone in Durban as I will like to propagate a stem from a bourgenvillea as I will like to start my hand on a bonsai.

What soil do I use to start the bonsai?

Your assistance is appreciated.

RegardsIdris hoosen

Answer

Yes Kemprinwill sort out the problem that is if it is an insect causing the damage. I do think that it could be snails as they love Clivias – I would get some snail bait and sprinkle it around the plants.

The brown edges on the leaves can also be cause by wind damage..

Follow the leaflet instructions for the usage of Kemprin – it should be under grasshoppers/scale….

Rooting hormone powder is available at most garden centres or Builders outlets.

I have an unsightly storeroom wall that I would like to cover with some type of climber or similar. It is very close to our borehole so it must be something that does not drink loads and loads of water. The only problem is that this wall gets the full blast of the summer sun from about 09h00 until about 17h00. Is there something out there that will survive this onslaught and cover the wall?

Answer

Yes there are many creepers that will cope with the heat. The creepers ail need a trellis to grow which should be placed slightly away from the wall. This assists with the heat damage to the plant.

I have a very, very, very big problem with that big black and yellow beetles that’s eating away all my roses. I spend thousands of rands each and every year on poison but nothing kills them or keep them away.

The “expert” in gardening at our local nursery just gave as the same poison you can buy at your local supermarket but at an higher price than the supermarket but it’s not working at all.

Please, I need help to safe my roses from this pest. I love my garden and my roses but I can’t enjoy them even for a week. I just see the nobs and then it’s paper roses that fall off in 1 day.

I will try anything to get rid of this pest.

Thanks for all your wonderful garden tips.

Regards

Grieta Nell

Answer

One can use karbaspray, follow instructions on packaging, OR one can try the following:

Get an empty 2l plastic bottle.

Cut a ‘window’ just below the plastic cap. Make this ‘wind’ as big as you can.

Place some pineapple juice in the bottle and hang it close to the roses.

I bought some Arum lily bulbs this year and have planted them in large pots. My question to you is why some half a meter tall and some only 5cms tall are. Please can you tell me if I have done something wrong?

They are all in the same size pots. I planted them into new soil/manure and I put some sand in to make the water drain, is this correct?

Please can you tell me how I must water them, our temperature here is 37 – 40 degrees,

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Regards

Bev

Victoria Falls

Zimbabwe

Answer

The temperature could be a huge factor in some growing well and others not. Dependant on the variety some are far more heat tolerant than others. The other factor is that in the pots they will dry out really fast with the extreme temperatures. I suggest that you water every second day but the best method of checking the water requirements of the plant is to simply do the finger test on the soil. The plants that are not growing well I would suggest a good feeding of a liquid fertiliser as per the instructions, such as Nitrosol or Multifeed.

Can you advise me about bougainvilleas in pots. How often should I fertilise? I use seaweed manure. I live in Margate so they get plenty of sun, but are not blooming so well as when I lived in Port Edward. And what about watering? I always thought they did not need a lot of water.

Answer

Use Rapid Raiser once a month or 3.1.5. Full sun, In pots- water twice a week.

I have had a good harvest of birds eye chillies, after the first harvest a second came in awhile later but the are not very big and go pretty soft and dry out. Do I prune the bushes or do I have to replant on a yearly basis. As you can gather I’m a pretty novice of a gardner.

Yours,

Rene van Rheede

Answer

No the plant does not need to be replanted, I would prune the plant back to at least halfway, give it a good mulching of compost and feed it with a handful of organic pellets such as Rapid raiser

I got hedges from my mom so I replanted them but they are dyeing and the same with my thyme bush it also dead what can I do to bring them back to life. I have a big dog he like to dig up seedling after I planted do you have any ideas how to keep him out.

Kind regards

Jared

Answer

Make sure the dog has loads of toys or build the dog a sand pit, make sure it is deep enough to dig in and also mix in 5kg’s of bonemeal. This way the dog will only dig in its sandpit. Also bury some of those chews and treats in the sand for the dog to find.

Prune the thyme plants back – if the stems are still green it should recover.

Two weeks ago I received an Oriental lily as present; it was in its nursery pot. The flowers have since fallen off but so have the leaves. Is this normal?

Can I maybe transplant into the garden rather than leaving it in a pot? Please help.

-Glynnis in Johannesburg

Answer

Yes this is normal as it is a bulb – therefore grows, flowers and then dies back. So there answer is yes you can plant it into the garden. The leaves will continue to die back and they will then grow again next year and hopefully flower

Can you advise me about bougainvilleas in pots? How often should I fertilise? I use seaweed manure. I live in Margate so they get plenty of sun, but are not blooming so well as when I lived in Port Edward. And what about watering? I always thought they did not need a lot of water.

Answer

Hi there would like to know what plants to plant in a front garden. I live in Muizenberg Cape Town and the soil is sea sand, I bought a few plants they have all died and I’m clueless as to what plants would be appropriate for this area.Please help.

Candice – Muizenberg

Answer

Your soil is very sandy and lacks organic content so need loads of compost added. I would also add a water absorbent granule to your soil. The plants you need to use must be wind resistant and water wise. Consider using the following:

Euryops

Carissa

Arctotis

Gazania

Rhapiolepis

These are all stunning plants that I know will do well in your part of the world.

I enjoy your show so very much, please advise me on what I should do about the exposed roots of a HUGE delicious monster plant in my garden and what I could plant underneath the delicious monster.

Answer

It is difficult as not much grows around the exposed roots but do try the following 1. Add a mixture of potting soil & compost around the plant plus bonemeal 2. If it is in the shade try grow Plectranthus or Clivia and if it is in the sun try Cuphea or agapanthus.

Roses

I have a very, very, very big problem with that big black and yellow beetles that’s eating away all my roses. I spend thousands of rands each and every year on poison but nothing kills them or keep them away.

The “expert” in gardening at our local nursery just gave as the same poison you can buy at your local supermarket but at an higher price than the supermarket but it’s not working at all.

Please, I need help to safe my roses from this pest. I love my garden and my roses but I can’t enjoy them even for a week. I just see the nobs and then it’s paper roses that fall off in 1 day.

I will try anything to get rid of this pest.

Thanks for all your wonderful garden tips.

Regards

Grieta Nell

Answer

One can use karbaspray, follow instructions on packaging, OR one can try the following:

Get an empty 2l plastic bottle.

Cut a ‘window’ just below the plastic cap. Make this ‘wind’ as big as you can.

Place some pineapple juice in the bottle and hang it close to the roses.

Answer

Lawns

I have a compost heap, its still a bit newish, underneath the rubbish there’s nice compost, BUT in the compost are these ugly Molkrieke (in afrikaans) how do I get rid of them in the compost? And what else can I do get a healthy looking compost?

Answer

The worms are not bad, they help decompose the soil.

Use Margaret Roberts’s compost activator to speed up the composting process. In dry weather water the compost at least once a week.

Please can you help or advise on what to do as we live near a river on a slope and have problems with steep banks in front and along side our house.

What can I plant on some of these slopes to avoid corrosion? Any ideas or advice would be most welcome. We are however limited with plant choices and can get simple plants like agapanthus and Sheena’s gold etc…. or are we better off building retaining walls? We have fairly acid soil, heavy rainfall and humid in summer and can be very dry before the onset of rainy season. However we have access to water from the river so watering not a problem.

Best regards

Nicky Wright (Kitwe – Zambia)

Answer

Hi Nicky ,

Yes there are ways of dealing with the banks.

1 Erosion fabric – place the fabric on soil , create holes and plant in them. The fabric works well.

2 Using treated gum poles, either upright buried into the soil to hold the bank, backfill and then plant.

3 The same poles can be used horizontally with thinner poles to hold them in place. Create small pockets with the poles stacked onto of each other.

I desperately want to grow lawn on a shaded area for this summer. I saw some law-seeds being sold at Builder’s Warehouse and wasn’t sure about the result. What would you suggest I do? Buy the lawn blocks or try out those seeds?

Regards

Terry-Joburg

Answer

Hi Terry

This is a difficult question to answer as it all depends on how much effort you are prepared to put into the lawn.

Minimal effort – instant lawn. Remember to prepare the soil well – dig in compost and bone meal. Lay the lawn and water well every second day depending on if it rains.

Seed – Prepare soil well, rake away all stones and clumps of soil. Follow directions on the packets. Seed will germinate in 5 days, keep well watered and only mow after about 5 weeks, this allows the seeds time to establish.

I have sprayed Kombat Wipe-out none selective foliar control of annual and perennial grasses and broadleaved weeds onto my lawn to get rid of winter grass my whole lawn has now gone brown can I save it or must I replace the lawn. Regards Anthony

Answer

Oh my word, well as the product states it is Non selective, it will kill everything it touches. So yip I am afraid need to replace the lawn , sorry.

How do I get my lawn to grow again? I had building material dumped on my buffalo grass & now have a problem getting it to grow again.

Answer

Rake away all rubble. Use a garden fork to ‘spike’ holes in the lawn. Apply 2.3.4 as per the instruction to get the roots growing and then 6 weeks later 7.1.3. Keep it well watered – at least once a week.

We here in Springfontein have a serious problem with a needle like weed in our lawn. It is usually active as from about March, April. It is as long as a knitting needle and as thick as a thick sewing needle. It has a little black bulb underneath the soil but quite deep and is taking over the lawn. I have phoned several nurseries, but no one seems to be familiar with it.

Could you be as kind as to recommend a poison / cure or plan of action to get rid of it.

Answer

If the weed has thin leaves then one can try Basagran. If it has broad leaves then use turfweeder.

We have just moved into our new home and at the moment we have this major WEED problem, I went and bought the Hormoban APm and used it as stated but nothing has happened since applying the product. And our lawn is quite big (well not too big). I have attached pictures of the weeds for you to see and hopefully you can advise us on how to get rid of these, as I have small children and some of the weeds have those bobble thorns so they cant even play.

Answer

Use Turfweeder, it is a much more effective product. Follow instructions very carefully and apply at least three times to see a marked difference to weeds in the lawn.

Pests and disease

I know its not normal practice for you to reply to E mails directly and Deon was kind enough to forward this onto you – Thank you for accommodating me.

I have some problems with insects eating away at my plants , etc and I’m hoping you can give some advice with possible solutions :

1.Rose trees and other plants are being eaten by some insect. Can you perhaps tell me what spray to use.

2.One of the plants is drying …is this normal for Winter or is it pests again ?

3.My curry leaf tree has tiny little lumps on the leaves. Do I need another insect repellent here or is tis some kind of plant disease?

4.I have a palm tree thats like 6m tall. The base of which at the ground has been eaten away. I’m afraid that it may fall over some day. Is there any treatment solution that you could possibly advise me on?

Ciao Raj

Answer

Shew…..

Ok – tree being eaten – termites– need to use a Termite killer.

Roses – this is probably a beatle, use a systemic insecticide.

Cats tail fern – could be drying out or that its growth is being restricted, I would suggest a good mulching around it with compost and an application of organic fertiliser.

Answer

Your programmes are very enjoyable and they make gardening so accessible for novice gardeners such as my husband and me.

Please could you give us any information you may have about gardening when there are dassies in the area? We live at the bottom of a koppie in Boskruin, Gauteng and there are a number of dassies living on the koppie. They really enjoy the little petals on most plants as well as new, juicy leaves and even some roots. So far the only plants they do not seem to be too keen on are Clivias, succulents and ferns. As a result, we thoroughly enjoyed your programme on the propagation of Clivias and succulents.

Many thanks.

Sincerely,

Gill

Answer

Hi Gill

Dassies are both a blessing and a curse! There are very few remedies available; I have heard that putting human hair in orange pocket bags seems to keep them away. Apparently they smell the scent from the hair wards them off. This has to be replaced every two weeks because the human smell disappears.

I have been composting for past three years with much success. One query……I literally have thousands of little grey creepy-crawly ”goggas” in the two compost heaps I have – one compost heap is built up with surrounding bricks on paving and the other is a closed composter – realise they no doubt break down the leaves, etc. but these critters look freaky. I basically compost with leaves, cut grass, egg shells, tea leaves, coffee grinds and fruit which produce superb black compost, but also huge white worms (think they are cutworms). How can I get rid of them or are they part of composting? I have a shredder and use the wood chips in the compost as well as ground cover around my spinach plants.

Thanking you in advance for your comments!

Dot Schaal

Answer

No worries about the large bug, it is the larva stage of a really innocent beetle. In fact it only helps to decompose the organic matter.

Answer

I got hedges from my mom so I replanted them but they are dyeing and the same with my thyme bush it also dead what can I do to bring them back to life. I have a big dog he like to dig up seedling after I planted do you have any ideas how to keep him out.

Kind regards

Jared

Answer

Make sure the dog has loads of toys or build the dog a sand pit, make sure it is deep enough to dig in and also mix in 5kg’s of bonemeal. This way the dog will only dig in its sandpit. Also bury some of those chews and treats in the sand for the dog to find.

Prune the thyme plants back – if the stems are still green it should recover.

I was told at the time that it was better than lawn. Unfortunately I am now overwhelmed with weeds. Also, the neighbours’ children scoop up handfuls and throw them at one another.

I now wish that I had gone with the lawn option. I am quite desperate. As you can appreciate, it is difficult to weed between the pebbles.

What can I do?

Kind regards

Norma Scott-Tomlin

Answer

Hi Norma

Dealing with the weeds is possible. One needs to spray with a products called Roundup or any non selective weed killer. This will kill anything it touches so please spray carefully. As for the children…… mmmm this is a major problem, children and stones….. It’s a fatal attraction

I have a large cycad that has been in my garden since we moved in 7 years ago. Last year it was destroyed by caterpillars. I cut all the fronds off and destroyed them. The new fronds came and all was well until a week ago! The caterpillars are back and have destroyed it again. So much so that they are just sticks poking out, they have eaten everything. A friend of mine said I must dig out the cycad and destroy it. Do you have any ideas?

Answer

Caterpillars come when there is a change in season. I would recommend product to use; 1. Garden Ripcord 2. Margaret Roberts Biological insecticide and to spray as soon as you see caterpillars.

I have a huge coral tree growing in our garden in Port Alfred, a small seaside village in the Eastern Cape. I am really worried as the tree is almost totally covered in this lichen like growth. Most of all I am afraid I might loose this magnificent tree.

1 Will this growth eventually kill my lovely tree? There have been a few dead limbs recently.

2 Do I need to treat it?

3 How do I go about treating this as the tree is really high and its almost impossible to access all of it?

Answer

Lichen is a sign of healthy air. You can remove it physically by rubbing the bark or apply Dithane a chemical available from local garden centres.

We here in Springfontein have a serious problem with a needle like weed in our lawn. It is usually active as from about March, April. It is as long as a knitting needle and as thick as a thick sewing needle. It has a little black bulb underneath the soil but quite deep and is taking over the lawn. I have phoned several nurseries, but no one seems to be familiar with it.

Could you be as kind as to recommend a poison / cure or plan of action to get rid of it.

Answer

If the weed has thin leaves then one can try Basagran. If it has broad leaves then use turfweeder.

I have a vegetable garden that gave me huge veggies for the last 5 years, but this year was a disaster. I think it is red spider mite.

Could you advise what I can use organic to get rid of them? I have read about predator insects, but where do we get them?

Will appreciate any help.

ThanksSonja

Answer:

SonjaOur local expert says:“A sugar solution using brown sugar dissolved in water is reputed to cause the tiny mites to get stuck to the foliage of the plants they are feeding on. Regular application is necessary in the form of a full cover spray to have any meaningful effect.Numerous different miticides are available on the commercial pesticide market. They differ from insecticides and are formulated specifically for controlling different types on mites.Always remember that stressed plants are more susceptible to attack by red spider mite. Regular watering and fertilising helps to alleviate the problem.”

Dear Tanya, Please can you advise me how to get rid of moles in my lawn. I have tried soap power and water down its burrow. I have also tried QuickPhos tablets.Kind Regards,Brian Von Weichardt.

Answer:

BrianTanya usually suggest you embark on chasing them away through soaking the sand at the entrance to their holes with various things they don’t like, This method only works if you are able to chase them into some bush or towards a more appealing garden next door.

I have seen some sonar mole deterrants on sale in some garden centres but I am not sure if they work.

Dealing with moles

Moles, such as the golden mole, eat insects and snails and are more attracted to the roots of plants by the presence of such pests in them than by the roots themselves. They are sometimes referred to as ‘surface moles’ and are more active during wet seasons. They are completely blind and rely on their hearing and smell to capture prey.

Molerats, on the other hand, feed on roots and bulbs, and it is these pests who, by pushing the soil from their burrows, create molehills. In the wild their numbers are kept under control by mole snakes. To avoid molerats becoming an issue, plant their favourite foods, such as bulbs, in containers.

Controlling moles

Garlic extract and castor oil are two of the best repellents to use against moles. However, they have to be used repeatedly and with a definite strategy in mind. Level the molehills and saturate the levelled soil with garlic extract and castor oil. Chase the moles in this way towards an area where they won’t feel trapped, i.e. away from permanent structures and towards proper feeding grounds.

Commercially available products to deter moles include Grovida’s Mole-Go, Efekto’s Chase-Em, Margaret Roberts Organic Insecticide and Ludwig’s Insect Spray+. (Although not listed as mole deterrents, the last two products still work well.) Follow the instructions carefully.

Special electronic devices are also available. The sonic mole probe, which must be placed firmly into the ground, changes its frequency every three days. Note that the vibrations it produces might initially send the moles into a frenzy and that because of this it’s quite normal to experience increased mole activity before the device has the desired effect of driving them away.

Waterwise

I have two concreted L shaped corner spaces that I want to add a water feature to and I want to add some fish to it as well, can u please advise me how I can go about doing this myself. What do I need to get started and how do I take on a project like this. I enjoy watching the home channel and the wonderful ideas they have. Please help me bring my concrete corner space to life.

Answer

One of the easiest ways to add a water feature is to use Fibreglass. Take a look at www.riverrock.co.za they have some great ideas as well as step by step projects which The Gardener has done for them

Indoor

I leave JHB south. I have a corner that I do not know what to plant it is about 1.5m X 2.5m. In summer there is full sun but in winter full shade – what do u recommend planting?

Memory Moloele

Answer

Dear Memory

Thank you for your query. It is very hard to do garden plant suggestions remotely as advising what to plant is related to position, location, use of area and adjacent spaces and environment as much as amount of sun and space.

I have asked our local horticulturalist to advise a few plants for your climate and details you provides. Please be patient as we get a lot of queries. I will pass on the information when he sends it through.

Answer

I have had a good harvest of birds eye chillies, after the first harvest a second came in awhile later but the are not very big and go pretty soft and dry out. Do I prune the bushes or do I have to replant on a yearly basis. As you can gather I’m a pretty novice of a gardner.

Yours,

Rene van Rheede

Answer

No the plant does not need to be replanted, I would prune the plant back to at least halfway, give it a good mulching of compost and feed it with a handful of organic pellets such as Rapid raiser

Two weeks ago I received an Oriental lily as present; it was in its nursery pot. The flowers have since fallen off but so have the leaves. Is this normal?

Can I maybe transplant into the garden rather than leaving it in a pot? Please help.

-Glynnis in Johannesburg

Answer

Yes this is normal as it is a bulb – therefore grows, flowers and then dies back. So there answer is yes you can plant it into the garden. The leaves will continue to die back and they will then grow again next year and hopefully flower

Can you advise me about bougainvilleas in pots? How often should I fertilise? I use seaweed manure. I live in Margate so they get plenty of sun, but are not blooming so well as when I lived in Port Edward. And what about watering? I always thought they did not need a lot of water.

Hi there would like to know what plants to plant in a front garden. I live in Muizenberg Cape Town and the soil is sea sand, I bought a few plants they have all died and I’m clueless as to what plants would be appropriate for this area.Please help.

Candice – Muizenberg

Answer

Your soil is very sandy and lacks organic content so need loads of compost added. I would also add a water absorbent granule to your soil. The plants you need to use must be wind resistant and water wise. Consider using the following:

Euryops

Carissa

Arctotis

Gazania

Rhapiolepis

These are all stunning plants that I know will do well in your part of the world.

I enjoy your show so very much, please advise me on what I should do about the exposed roots of a HUGE delicious monster plant in my garden and what I could plant underneath the delicious monster.

Answer

It is difficult as not much grows around the exposed roots but do try the following 1. Add a mixture of potting soil & compost around the plant plus bonemeal 2. If it is in the shade try grow Plectranthus or Clivia and if it is in the sun try Cuphea or agapanthus.

I am looking for some attractive screening plants (that don’t lose their leaves) for the bottom of my garden to fit in with what exists there already. What I need to mention is that the land has a slight slope leading towards a valley. The area is 30 metres and from left to right this is what I have at present the present moment. Area’s marked in x is vacant for plants:

Young avocado tree

XXXXX

Tall light green tree with small leaves

Fully grown bottle brush

XXXXX

XXXXX

What I also need to mention is that we have a 6 foot concrete foot in place there as well. It will also be good to form an attractive backdrop to our garden.

Answer

I would suggest the following plants to use – Viburnum, Magnolia little gem and Camellia sasanqua.

Can you advise me about bougainvilleas in pots. How often should I fertilise? I use seaweed manure. I live in Margate so they get plenty of sun, but are not blooming so well as when I lived in Port Edward. And what about watering? I always thought they did not need a lot of water.

Answer

Use Rapid Raiser once a month or 3.1.5. Full sun, In pots- water twice a week.